Drunk Driving Accident Attorney

We Represent the Injured

Death and serious injuries often occur when someone gets behind the wheel of a car after drinking alcohol or engaging in the use of narcotics or other drugs. Casey W. Stevens Law: Alpharetta Personal Injury and Car Accident Lawyers works for those who were injured in a car accident as a result of someone else’s negligence. We provide free case evaluations and charge our clients nothing until they get paid. Casey W. Stevens has nearly three decades of experience as an Alpharetta Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer.

In Georgia and across the United States, it is illegal to operate a motor vehicle if your blood alcohol content (BAC) is over .8%.  Georgia law O.C.G.A. § 40-6-391 prohibits driving a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or other intoxicating substances. Specifically, pursuant to O.G.G.A. § 40-6-391(a)(5), a person shall not drive a vehicle if the person’s blood alcohol content is .08 or higher. In addition, a person is prohibited from driving if they are under the influence of alcohol or drugs to the extent it is less safe for the person to drive. See O.G.G.A. §§ 40-6-391(a)(1) and 40-6-391(a)(2). How much alcohol it takes to reach that level depends on a few variables including the consumer's height and weight, and the time between drinks.  Because it is not possible to tell when you are at or above the .8% level without professional equipment, it is always best to have a designated driver or utilize a commercial ride share care like Uber or Lyft.  DUI charges often result in jail time, and if a drunk driver causes an accident with injuries the results are catastrophic for both the driver and their victims.

Drinking establishments, liquor stores and even hosts of private parties can be held liable for injuries and deaths caused by drunk drivers they serve. Referred to as "dram shop" laws, liability in drunk driving accidents transfers to anyone who knowingly served alcohol to a visibly intoxicated or under aged person. At Casey W. Stevens Law: Alpharetta Personal Injury and Car Accident Lawyers, our lawyers review bar tabs, credit card statements, video footage when available, and interview eyewitnesses to determine how much alcohol a person was served prior to his or her causing an accident. Consulting forensic specialists and alcohol experts, we provide jurors with information regarding the blood alcohol content (BAC) of a drunk driver during the time prior to the accident.

We have the resources and knowledge needed to hold bars, restaurants, liquor stores and hosts of private parties responsible for their actions. To schedule a free consultation and discuss your case, contact drunk driving accident lawyers at Casey W. Stevens today.

Determining the Cost of a Drunk Driving Accident

Drunk driving accidents can result in serious head, neck, back, and spine injuries. In some cases, drunk driving accidents are fatal. In order to ensure our clients receive just compensation for their losses, our attorneys work with experienced medical economists and life care planners. We provide cost-data projections covering the cost of current and future medical care, lost wages, and diminished quality of life. We demand nothing less than an award or settlement proportional to our clients’ financial losses and emotional suffering.

Holding Negligent Servers of Alcohol Financially Liable

The majority of restaurants, bars and liquor stores involved in dram shop cases vigorously deny any culpability in drunk driving accident cases. However, in reviewing bar or restaurant tabs and credit card statements, we can often establish when and how many drinks were ordered. Using eyewitness testimony from other patrons or staff members, our lawyers are often able to establish clear evidence of visible intoxication. In the case of liquor stores, most have store security camera footage. Difficulty walking and exaggerated motions usually betray intoxication at the time of a purchase.

When You Should Hire a Personal Injury Attorney

When a person commits the offense of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, they are often subject to serious criminal penalties, including jail time and loss of driving privileges. In addition to facing criminal prosecution, a person who commits the offense of while intoxicated in Georgia may also be subject to punitive damages in a civil action brought by a party who is injured by their misconduct. (In most civil actions involving personal injuries, a party is only allowed recovery of “compensatory damages,” or damages designed to compensate the victim. However, in cases involving certain types of misconduct, a court is authorized to award “punitive damages,” or damages designed to punish the wrongdoer.) Under O.C.G.A. § 51-12-5.1, punitive damages may be awarded at trial in personal injury “actions in which it is proven by clear and convincing evidence that the defendant’s actions showed willful misconduct, malice, fraud, wantonness, oppression, or that entire want of care which would raise the presumption of conscious indifference to consequences.” In the case of Moore v. Thompson, the Georgia Supreme Court held that causing personal injuries or a death while driving a vehicle under the influence constitutes the type of willful misconduct that would authorize a jury to impose punitive damages. 255 Ga. 236 (1985). Navigating Georgia personal injury law is difficult. Statistics show hiring a drunk driving injury attorney provides better case results. We will let you know what your case is potentially worth.

We Have Multiple Locations to Assist Georgia Accident Victims

At Casey W. Stevens Law: Alpharetta Personal Injury and Car Accident Lawyers, we have handled numerous cases involving injuries and wrongful death caused by persons driving a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. In such cases, personal injury attorney Casey W. Stevens has been very successful at effecting substantial recoveries of money damages. Many of these cases resolve prior to trial, because the insurance carrier for the wrongdoer will often make a significant offer to avoid the risk of a trial. The defendants in these cases are also typically very bad witnesses that attempt to avoid responsibility for their actions. Taking a very detailed and thorough deposition of such a witness has helped us to greatly enhance the value of the injury or wrongful death cases we handle. We four additional office locations to serve you in Suwanee, Woodstock, Canton, and Dawsonville. If you are unable to come to us, we’ll be happy to come to you. Call today: 770-408-6364.